Zubaida Umar, the director-general of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has declared that there is a high probability of flooding in nine local government areas in Bauchi State this year.
In order to handle the anticipated flood calamity in 2024, she consequently asked the state administration to put early mitigation measures into place.
Speaking in Bauchi at a programme to raise awareness about early warning systems for the 2024 floods, Umar emphasised the need for prompt action to protect lives and livelihoods during the rainy season.
She forewarned that other local government areas in Bauchi are still at risk due to the region’s history of catastrophic flood damage.
The following locations have been classified as having a high or moderate risk of flooding: Toro, Itas Gadau, Bauchi, Jama’are, Shira, Zaki, Ganjuwa, Warji, and Katagum.
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NEMA’s Director of Internal Audit, Garba Mohammed, spoke on behalf of the organisation as Umar explained its responsibility to coordinate emergency planning, mitigation, and response efforts throughout Nigeria.
In addition, Umar referenced forecasts from the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) and the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet), which have highlighted high-risk regions for flooding in a number of states and local government areas between April and November.
She emphasised the significance of NIHSA and NiMet’s Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) and Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) for 2024.
